Packing out an elk?

[Groundshrinkage]

OK, i asked this same question in the Colorado section, but i figured I might get more responses here. I plan on making my first ever elk hunt either this year or next in colorado with my bow. It is going to be early season (1st week of sept). It is going to be a backcountry DIY hunt. My question is if I am lucky enough to arrow a bull are there people you can hire that will come and pack it out for you? and what does something like this usually cost? and how does a person go about finding someone to do this service? I would try and pack it out myself, but my fear is that early in the season it will probably be hot and i don't want to lose alot of meat to spoilage.

 

[ruttinelk393]

Unless you are more than a couple of miles in, you could get the meat out quicker yourself (assuming you are hunting w/a buddy which should almost be a requirment for safety reasons and knowing the size and amount of work these animals require). In CO I pack in and use an old game cart my dad made to get our equiip in and the rest is on my back. If the terrain is tough etc, I would check w/local ranchers, outfitters and if nothing else put a cheap ad in the local paper to see who could help. I havent used one, but the last I checked when I lived in CO they were around $200, but that is dependent upon the area and miles in. I know for sure that unless you are a horse person, it is not worth bringing them in and having to take care of them etc. If you get someone to do it, make sure you (and they) have a gps to give them the coordinates once you call to expedite the process.

 

[supersider34]

I know guys that have paid up to $400 depending on how far and where the animal was. Might be less if you can get the horses or mules right to the animal. Just make sure you dont hunt in nasty steep stuff and expect someone to risk there animals to get to them.
Good luck.

 

[mdfanatic]

depends on where you are but 2-400$ id bring some horses to pack your elk, as long as the elk like previously stated isnt in some nasty!@# hole

 

[Frontier]

If I got an elk in the back country, I would simply bone it out. I've done several boning jobs on elk and usually only takes about 3 hours max, usually about 2 hours for one person. Boned meat off an elk would come in around 250-300 lbs. Put meat into high quality meat sacks, and if its hot put it in the nearest creek. If you've boned deer, you should be able to do an elk.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-05-09 AT 07:54PM (MST)[p]I have packed elk out by myself before. It will be essential that you bone out the meat unless you are right near a road. It will also be essentail that you are a little bit crazy and stronger than you are smart.

 

[mntman]

I agree with 2 previous posts, Just debone and pack out yourself. It is very attainable to do by yourself. Like already said any experience at all and you should be washing your hands at the 3 hour point.

1 tip for you is to have everything with you in your back pack while hunting to debone it right after the shot. hang the deboned meat in the game sacks in a tree and on your 1st walk out put the back straps, tenderloins, rack and any other misc. meat in your pack that fits, then you have 2 light trips or one heavy trip if it's a small bull.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

 

[westelkman]

Good advice above. If you do a search for "Gutless Method" on the various websites you can find tutorials.


I like to do mine asap due to some areas have those yellowjackets and they have been getting worse the last few years. Leaving the animal down with the hide on is a no no.

"In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments; there are consequences"
Robert Green Ingersoll

 

[solitude]

All of these last several posts are great advice. Just be in shape, and it's really not that big of a deal to do it all completely alone. Mtnman said it - have all you need with you to do it right away at the kill and get right to work. Skin one whole side, de-bone it and put in heavy cotton meat bags so it can breath and let the heat out. I just use heavy laundry bags and they work well. I also place a few dead lodgepole on the ground and then lay my bags of meat over them so the cool air (place it in the shade obviously) can circulate under and around the bag. Flip the elk over and repeat. As they said, have a day pack with enough room (or compression straps so you can strap your extra clothes to the outside for the pack out)to take out a load of meat right away. Then you can use a packboard made for hauling heavier loads for the next 2 trips. At altitude, even in bow season, I have never had any meat spoil using this method. One other thing is to move the meat away from the carcass 75 yards or so, hang a sweaty undershirt above your meat bags and urinate near them to discourage predators. I have never lost any meat in more than 20 years of doing it this way, even in grizzly country. It's hard work but it still is always a great time to me, knowing you killed your elk and are in beautiful lonely country. You earned it all alone and the memories and appreciation for the hunt are as good as they get. Just my opinion and preference, but it's the complete experience of what hunting should and can be.

 

[Simo42]

JUST SO YOU GET THE REAL PICTURE, IT IS POSSIBLE YOU DONT HAVE TO BE CRAZY JUST DEDICATED WELL MAYBE CRAZY DONT HURT. BUT HONESTLY EVEN IF YOU TAKE OUT BACK STRAPS TENDERLOINS AND HORNS ON FIRST TRIP IT WILL TAKE ATLEAST 3 OTHER FULL LOADS MINIMUM.
JUST BE READY THE FUN STARTS ONCE THE PICTURES ARE DONE
SIMO

 

[Califelkslayer]

Think my original post got nukes, must have used a BAD word.

Quarter without gutting, hang in shade (perferrably aspens) wrap backstraps in t-shirt/thermal. Nights get cool even in September.

 

[solitude]

A couple of other thoughts - a small 3" or so knife blade with a drop point type is all you need for the skinning, a scalpel to do the tight areas if caping, and a FILET knife works much better than a thicker blade for the actual meat removal, especially when working around the bones. Heavy pack loads in rough country without trails and large vertical also are best done in high quality boots. Many years ago I bruised the bottoms of my feet badly while carrying a heavy load of boned elk meat over a couple mile drop down a steep, rocky dry drainage before hitting a game trail. A solid mountaineering boot like Kennetrek, Lowa, Meindl and Asolo are designed for it and will protect your feet, ankles and knees much better than other boots. More money, but get them before anything else, you will be glad you did. Last idea, several years ago my wife bought me a pair of expensive trekking poles. I always saw them used by city slickers and almost returned them, but taking my wife's thoughtfulness into concern I tried them one year while packing out my elk. They worked excellent and will keep you from stumbling, sliding and falling in steep, rocky terrain while packing out your meat on steep descents. They will also move you up the mountain quicker on your way in, and when packing out the meat your hands are empty anyway. Again, buy a quality pair.

 

[nickman]

ANYONE who hunts elk alone, has never gutted, skinned, and packed out an elk before. You might take out a cape and some backstrap, but then there will be the other 4 trips. Dumb.

Anyone who hunts elk alone, in deep backcountry, is a fool. Period.

I can't begin to list all the things that can go "south" in this scenario.

We came up on 3 hunters with a bull that had tried to cross a boggy meadow after being hit. The bull was in deep mud and 2 of the hunters were stuck also. Had we not been horseback.....

Ever tried to work with one, upside down in a ravine, where simply standing up was near impossible? Cliffs, deep timber thickets, creeks......I could go on and on. These things happen...that's where they live.

You may THINK you are D.Boone, but you are putting yourself at risk and, more importantly, putting the S&R people who have to come find your azz, at risk.

 

[peez3006]

>"BUT HONESTLY EVEN
>IF YOU TAKE OUT BACK
>STRAPS TENDERLOINS AND HORNS ON
>FIRST TRIP IT WILL TAKE
>ATLEAST 3 OTHER FULL LOADS
>MINIMUM."

Agreed Simo! If a guy can get an elk out in two trips, one of two thing are happening. Alot of meat is getting left or he's one heck of a stout dude that can carry some heavy loads. I would think three loads would be a minimum. (on a small bull) Have done it in four, and could have carried a little more, maybe. You definately earn your keep, packing elk in steep country!

Don P.

 

[JDElec]

I have packed a smaller bull (four point) out in two trips alone. It is possible, it is difficult. people that say there's no way are wrong. However when I have done this I had a good pack frame and didn't have my rifle and other misc hunting gear. The elk was approx 2 miles down in a canyon. I'm not saying that it was easy, painless or smart. I'm saying without wasting meat it is still possible. Also my hips were literally bleeding when I was done. If i am in the steep real bad I will de-bone but if it is kinda close or relatively flat I will pack quarters to keep the meat as clean as possible. This last year I had the opportunity to pack multiple bulls most were two to three trips with two guys.

 

[JDElec]

Also thinking about it I don't think you could pack a big mature bull especially with a cape in less than three to four trips if you are alone.

 

[sagebrush]

Let's give this a little thought. I'm assuming if you're that far back in you probably won't have cell reception. I know most of the places I hunt I can't get a signal and most of the time I'm not even in wilderness area. So under your scenario you would need to hike to cell reception, contact your packer, he has to drop what he's doing, load his stock in a trailer, drive to the trailhead, and then ride into your kill site. How much time will all this take?

I carry my cleaning equipment in my backpack. I have a knife, saw, parachute cord, 4 meat sacks and one waterproof carry sack. I skin one side and cut the front and hind quarters off and hang. I take the tenderloin, neck meat and rib meat, then last of all, I reach in between the pauch and ribs and take out the back strap. All that goes into one meat sack. Roll him over and do the same on the other side putting the lose cuts into the same meat sack as the first side. Then I bone out the two front quarters and put that in the second meat sack. Then I bone out each hind quarter and they each go into a meat sack. Hang three in the shade and carry one out. It takes about two and a half hours to bone out and elk. Saw off the head and you can make it out in four trips. Start out with a hind quarter and the head and save the lightest load, which will be the two front quarters or tenderloins and neck meat depending upon how thorough you are, for the last trip.

 

[solitude]

>ANYONE who hunts elk alone, has
>never gutted, skinned, and packed
>out an elk before. You
>might take out a cape
>and some backstrap, but then
>there will be the other
>4 trips. Dumb.
Nickman you are an ignorant joke and are obviously trying to mix it up. For you to say that ANYONE who hunts elk alone has never done it and is "dumb" shows that just because YOU don't or can't do it, you don't think anyone else can either. You have called all those that do it on a regular basis liars, when in fact it is your statement that is a flat lie and completely laughable.

>Anyone who hunts elk alone, in
>deep backcountry, is a fool.
>Period.
Really? O.K. whatever you say. I'm sorry you have never experienced the best there is in hunting. Countless guys do it every year, and we do it in the "big scary backcountry", and we have done it this way for years on loads of animals and never asked or needed your help or blessing, but thanks for your insult for getting the most out of our hunts.

>I can't begin to list all
>the things that can go
>"south" in this scenario.
I bet a hard experienced backpack hunter can make a much more detailed list than you can, because they have thought the possible mishaps through and do everything they can on a minute to minute basis to avoid problems. Mostly though because they don't want to be called fools, liars and dummies by some really smart guy.

>wecame up on 3
>hunters with a bull that
>had tried to cross a
>boggy meadow after being hit.
>The bull was in deep
>mud and 2 of the
>hunters were stuck also. Had
>we not been horseback.....
I'm still waiting on pins and needles for your heroic details on saving their lives. Did you call them fools, dummies and liars before or after you pulled them out of the African quicksand? Did you ride your horse out into the bog to help them? Oh sorry, that was a foolish and dumb thing to say.

>Ever tried to work with one,
>upside down in a ravine,
>where simply standing up was
>near impossible? Cliffs, deep timber
>thickets, creeks......I could go on
>and on. These things happen...that's
>where they live.
Yes, many times! And with a passion to get it done you do it. So what? And for people to suggest that others are leaving meat behind or not doing it properly and legally is an insult. I'm sick of hearing this garbage.

>You may THINK you are D.Boone,
>but you are putting yourself
>at risk and, more importantly,
>putting the S&R people who
>have to come find your
>azz, at risk.
What? So you are trying to be Daniel Boone if you hunt alone or pack out your meat on your back? That's totally absurd. And for you to bring the emotion of putting search and rescue people at risk is really low. I certainly have seen only a fraction of anything, but having owned horses I can tell you that I would bet you are at far greater risk of having search and rescue have to save your rear end from a horse accident than a solo backpacker hunting elk will. I have only seen two different people air-lifted off the mountain. They were both from horse rollovers while riding with other people. People often like to play up the dangers of hunting the backcountry, but it is way overblown for effect. You are in far more danger driving your truck 5 miles down the road. If a guy is in great shape, is passionate, resilient, uses his brain and is prepared, there is no reason to mislead the guy that wanted some help on this post. He can do it like thousands of other guys do on a regular basis.
I apoligize to those that read this. I am very respectful of others until they aren't of me.

 

[JRABQ]

+1 solitude, and lots of other good info here. Gutless + boning + good game bags is the cat's meow, wish I had learned this in the beginning.

My only point would be there is a big difference between a raghorn(or average cow) and a big mature bull. After boning out small to medium-sized elk I usually get 130-190 lbs of meat. If you can carry a 50-80 lb pack over the terrain and distance back to truck/camp, then you can get it done in 2 to 3 trips.

I usually take the backstraps and tenderloin (usually 20-25 lbs) back in my daypack, then return with pack frame and take rest in 2 trips. I've done this several times myself, with an average distance of about 2 miles (each way). The only really big bull I've shot yielded 290 lbs of boneless meat, and required 5 trips. Thank goodness I had help that time, and it was only about a mile from where we could use a cart.

 

[mozey]

Four trips by yourself or two with a buddy. It's very do-able, if you keep in shape, with a good pack and good boots.

I liked sage's post above--thought that was good stuff there.

Only thing I would add is that we rank the cuts of meat and then take them out per our highest preference. For me, that means the backstraps & tenderloins are coming out in the first load, hind quarters next couple, and fronts/ribs/neck last.

Several years ago, my buddy lost part of some hind quarters to a bear, so since then, we've done the sweaty-shirt/urinate/poop thing and it seems to keep bears away, but we've also since lost small portions of two other bulls to crows, even though we'd buried the quarted parts of one them in some snow under a low hanging fur: stinking crows still got to it. Anyway, that's why I take the best out first...

 

[supersider34]

Hang the stuff high in the tree's if leaving it over night. The pissing around it only keeps the coyotes and foxes off it. I run bait sites for bears and I always piss on and around bait site to keep foxes and yotes off the bait. I put trail cameras up and after I started that bears where the only thing not scared to come in. Sweaty shirt would work the best.

 

[Hondoarcher]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-18-09 AT 09:25PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Feb-18-09 AT 09:19?PM (MST)

All very good advice but I would add a couple things. I too used a day pack for years and would take out the backstraps out with me on my way to get my pack frame. I have since moved on to purchase a pack that has an expandable section for hauling meat out. I have looked at a lot of packs over the years and never found anything that met all of my needs. Last year I ran across the Jim Horn signature series made by Blacks Creek Guide Gear. It has all the features I have wanted in a pack. This thing is amazing. Although I didn't get my elk this year on my archery hunt(broke my ankle moving in on a big bull here in Colorado), I know it will do everything that I need. It starts out as a day pack but can expand to hold all of your extra cloths you take off during the day and then a full quarter when you get your elk down, plus it can carry your bow or rifle depending on the season your hunting. I purchase the Canadian since I am only 5'10" and the Alaskan just seems too big for me. My brother is 6'1" and 250lbs and purchase the Canadian as well. They are a little pricey but I don't plan on needing a second one in my lifetime. They can work well as a regular backpack to haul in your camp in if you are planning a spike camp.

One last thing. Don't hunt alone. I have done it for years but advise against it. Nearly broke my leg one night walking back to camp in the dark. This year I had just a little fall but fell poorly and broke my ankle. It wasn't a bad break so I was able to walk with a lot of pain a mile towards camp then called my brother on the radio to come and get me with the horses. The next day we packed up camp and I rode out the 3 miles to the truck. My brother took a second trip out to get his elk out. I have been in as far as 5 miles on my own but realized one night as I arrived back to camp at 10:00pm that I was taking too much risk. You see mountain lions don't make noise when come for you in the dark.

Good luck on your hunt.

 

[fireballer16]

In the last three years we have killed four bulls in the same spot, four miles from the truck. The first year was a double and we quartered both out. It took two trips in two days to get out. The next two bulls we deboned and only took one trip for each bull. Deboning is definitely the way to go. Good frame pack and a strong back you can carry out more than a 150 lbs your self. Hell, if I had the money and time, I'd go with you and help you for free.

 

[mmwb]

Having packed a few elk, alone and with others, all I can say is use some judgment in how much you carry. You may have the strength and stamina to carry an exceptionally heavy load, but you stand to easily do damage if your not careful. I've some knee problems after packing a decent sized bull out alone. That was a factor of terrain and the size of the animal. I know several others with back and knee problems following heinous pack outs.

 

[COLOelkman]

Getting back to the original question since most of the discussion is on backpacking meat out(with many good ideas). Here's my understanding on using horses and someone can correct me if I misunderstand the laws. I believe that legally the liscenced outfitter in the area you plan to hunt has 1st rights to pack out game. This is what I've been told by DOW and the outfitters assn. I've heard it is illegal to pay someone else to pack out your game unless you check first with the lisc. outfitter otherwise it is considered illegally outfitting. Not that I agree and not that I haven't done otherwise. You can rent/lease a horse and do it on your own. One place that rents that I've heard of but have no personal experience with is Sombrero Ranch (I'm sure they have a webiste with prices etc). I believe they have limits on areas they serve or deliver horses but it may be worth a call to ask them some details.
Personally, the older I get, the more I want to find someone with horses just to pack as I find the hassle of having them in camp not worth it unless you have a horse person with you. Not sure if you are coming alone or not but in my opinion, that would make a big difference. Backpacking alone if you've not done it before would not be advisable unless you are a "diehard". I've done it alone before and last year had packs of 110 and 100 lbs (with a buddy having 85-90 lb packs) and although not fun it conviced me to look for a way to get horses but then again I think this every year and have a short memory. Thus, having a plan for horses would be wise in my experience however it depends significantly on how far you are from the road, terrain, weather, physical condition of hunter, etc. Getting horses from someone other than an outfitter is not an easy thing to do in my experience and if you're trying to do this over the phone, it's even more difficult. Thus, many variables to consider and if we knew a little more details it might be helpful to provide some more thoughts. Just one other thing I usually do on packing my own is to have coolers with big ice blocks in the truck (well insulated) to keep the meat cool as it might be there a couple days depending on circumstances.

 

[CGS371]

Maybe different for Elk - but I read about a MD hunt where they packed out the meat in stages: take a load say a mile, stash it and return light for another load...get all loads the first mile and then take on the next mile in the same fashion. Seems to me this might be a little easier on the body, but also seems like a lot of time packing and unpacking. Anybody tried this?

 

[WapitiBob]

Colorado Elk, it's a dink by default.
Get an internal frame pack.
Saw the horns off, it's not worth mounting (remember .. CO Elk).
take horns and boned out hind quarter 1st trip out.
come back and get the 2 fronts and some back strap.
come back and get the rest.

NO, you don't take one trip/day. You keep going till it's done.
If you're scared of the dark, stay home.

No it's not fun, nor is it easy. I and tons of others have done it. Some years I have been lucky and loaded them in the truck whole. It balances out over the years.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[gemstatejake]

I'll add my 2 cents even though it's been covered. First...It's a scientific fact that a dead elk is the heaviest object known to mankind. Next, I routienly backpack hunt wilderness/backcountry for deer often alone. I'd personally never hunt elk like that. My hat is off to the guys who hunt that way and are successful. I've seen elk die in terrain that was extremely unfriendly. wedged in deep ravines, piled up on steep mountain faces, etc. damn near impossible for a couple guys to get the job done. Every part of your body will hurt after a job like that. I'd never want to attempt it alone.

I agree that a boned bull will be every bit of 250-300 lbs. It'll feel like 1000. Get a buddy to go unless you are in great shape and mentally prepared for possibly the biggest challenge of your hunting life.